Milling-machine.



J. C. POTTER.

\ MILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15,1912.

J. G. POTTER.

MILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. 1912.

1,060,765. Patented May 6, 1913.

SHEETS-SHEETZ.

J. C. POTTER.

MILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE15, 1912.

1,@60305. y l Patented May 6, 1913.

6 SHEETS--SHEET 3.

J. C. POTTER.

MILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1912,.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WTNESSES l Patented May 6,' 1913.

J. C. POTTER.

MILLING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 15, 1912.

Patented May 6, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

. W y? '/r Lf J. C.' POTTER.

MILLING MAGHINF.

APPLICATION PILED JUNE 15, 1912,

1060,705..v Patented May 6, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET (i J' AMES CHARLES POTTER, OF PAWTUCKT, RHODE ISLAND.

MILLING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patente-d May, 1913.

Application fued June 15, 1912. serial No. 703,895.

To allzwhom it may concern.'

'Be it known that I, J AMES C. POTTER, of Pawtucket, in the county of Providence, and in the State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Milling-Machines, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a milling machine free from the deficiencies which inhere in the single table construction, so that the working capacity of the machine will be greatlyincreased, both in respect of quantity and variety of work done yand the manipulation of the machine rendered easier and more convenient and better and safer for the workman. These and other objects of the invention, as will appear, from the embodiments that I have selected forl illustration are attained by the milling machine having the characteristics of construction and operation substantially as hereinafter specified and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of a milling machine con,- structed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 a front end elevation partly insection; Fig. 4. a rear elevationof said machine; Fig. 5 a top plan view showing the machine adapted for boring; Fig. 6 a detail view in side ele-- Vation of a portion of the machine arranged for boring, as vShown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 a detail view in end elevation of the boring bar bearing mounted' on the table when the machine is arranged for boring, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 8 a side elevation of a vertical 'milling machine embodying my invention;

and Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are detail views of devices for operating the clutch 'to 'control the revolution of the feed screws.

In the embodiment of my invention, illusy trat-ed in the drawings, the frame or housing 10, as a matter of convenience, is formed of two castings bolted together upon one of which is mounted the adjustable spindle support, while upon the other or knee is mount- Y ed the work holder, ally as is described more in detail hereinafter.

Power to run the machine may be applied through a belt pulley 11 loose on a horizontal shaft 12 journaled in bearings on the machine bed or frame, which is run at a constant speed and is adapted by means of a friction clutch 18 to be connected with and disconnected from said shaft. A train of the shaft 12 to a shaft 17, which by means `of change gears 18 and 19 transmit motion to a horizontal shaft 20 mounted in bearings, provided near the top of the main frame or housing. Splined to the shaft 20 is a miter gear 21 whose hub is journaled in a bracket 22 on the underside of the spindle support or housing 23, which housing is slidably mounted upon ways 24: upon the upper side of the main frame or housing 10, so that horizontal adjustment of the milling tool with reference to the work may be had and the miter gear 21 is supported so that it may slide along the shaft 20, as may be required. yMeshing with the miter gear 21 is a miter gear 25 upon the lower end of a vertical shaft 26, which has bearings ina bracket 27 on the rear side of the vertically movable slide 28, which has bearings for and supports the milling cutter spindle 29, the shaft 26 having such length as to enable the required vertical adjustment of the' spindlecarrying slide 28. Keyed to the shaft 26, and slidable .along the same to partake of the vertical movements of thespindle slide 28, is a spur gear 30 which meshes witha like gear 31 on the lower end of a worm shaft 32 having a worm 33 which meshes with a.worm wheel Set-on the spindle 29, and thereby power is transmitted to the spindle to revolve the same. The gears 30 and 31, and the worm carrying shaft 82, are all supported by the bracket 27, so that they partake of the vertical movements of the spindle slide and of course also of the horizontal movement of the housing or support 23.

' A clamping lever 35 is provided to tix the spindle carrying housing or support 28 in the desired position of horizontal adjustment, and clamping bolts are provided to hold ,the spindle supporting slide 28 in the desired vertical adjustment. The desired horizontal movement in one case and the vertical movement in the other may be conveniently produced by a vfeed mechanismv which in each case includes a screw secured to and revolved by a hand wheel 36 in the casel of the horizontal adjustment, and a similar'hand wheel 37 in the case of the vertical adjustment, and to enable iine or close adjustments, a dial 38 is provided in each instance. In the case of the horizontal spindle machine, which is shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the usual overhanging arm 39 is provided.

In the embodiments of my invention shown in the drawings there are two similar work tables 40 mounted in a horizontal position upon a swiveled or revoluble support 41 which rests in a circumferential or annular channel 42 in the top of the main frame or housing 10, where it is secured while free to rotate by a divided circular strap 43 bolted to the main frame or housing 10 and projecting into an annular channelor groove in the side of vsaid revoluble support or turret 41.

For revolving the work table turret, Iy take power from the pulley driving shaft 12 by gearing the shaft 44 on which is mounted the gear 15 of the train which leads from the shaft 12 to the spindle, to a shaft 45 which is geared to the shaft 44 by change gears 46 and 47, respectively, and which shaft 45 has ay worm 48 in mesh with a worm wheel 49 on the lower end of the vertical shaft 50snpported in bearings in the main frame, 'or housing 10 concentric with the turret 41. On the upper end of the shaft 50 is keyed a gear wheel 51 to the hub of which is splined a verticallyslidable friction cone 52,

' adapted when lifted, in the manner hereinafter described, to engage a cone friction surface 53 at the lower end of a verticaly flange 54 on the turret 41 and thereby the turret be revolved. The friction cone 52 under its weight and the action of a spring device normally tends to drop out of driving engagementwith the turret, the spring device being in the form of a coil spring 56 placed around a bolt 57 .between the head thereof and which may be seen by reference to Fig.

. length by one end -of a treadle lever 62,v

`1. Situated vertically beneath the friction cone 52 at diametrically opposite points. are two vertically movable rods 59, each of which at its upper end has an anti-friction roller V60 which has contact with the underside of the friction cone and the two rods at their lower ends are connected by a Spanner or yoke 61 in position to be engaged at its mid.-

lwhich when pressed at its foot-engaging end lifts the yoke 61 and through .it the two rods 59, and thereby forces the friction cone into driving engagement with the friction surface of the turret 41. The treadle 62 is also utilized to unlock theturret preliminary to its rotation, the treadle having a jointed connectionwwith one end of a lever 68, which at its other .end is connected by a link 64 with the lower end of a spring-pressed locking bolt 65, whose upperend may be projected into or disengaged from an alining locking hole 66, there being at least two locking holes 66 at diametrically'vopposite points, since two work tables are employed. When the treadle' has been actuated far enough to unlock the turret, the continued movement of. the treadle results in the lifting of the yoke 61 and forces the friction cone into driving engagement with the turret. It will be evident that by continuing the treadle in its depressed position the revolution of the turret can be continued; or upon releasing the treadle afterthe revolution of the turret` t has commenced, the turret willbe automatically stopped 4after a half revolutionand locked, thereby removing one work table from positionl beneath the milling tooland placing the other work-table" in such posit-ion.

The gear wheel rovided as a means for feeding the wo'ikfta leshbylxpower. For this purpose at diametricall- `opposite vpoints the gear wheel 51 is in mes with agear 67 on the lower end of a vertical shaft 68 which 70 on a horizontal feed shaft 71, keyed to which is a pinion 72 in mesh with a pinion 7 3 on a feed screw 74 which passes through a nutl 75 mounted on the turret 41.

, It is, of course, desirable to have the work table slide feed only when work is being performed by the milling tool, and it is-also desirable to have the feed in either direction lengthwise of the slide. I provide for this by providing two miter gears 70 on diametrically opposite sides of the miterf gear 69, both of which are loose on the feed shaft 71, and between which is slidably mounted a double clutch collar 77 adapted to occupy a v mid position where it clutches neither miter gear 70 to the shaft 71 or to be moved into clutch engagement with either to connect with the shaft 71.. For moving the clutch collar 77 of each work table, it is connected to a rock having a crank arm 79 that is connected bya sliding rod 80, which in turn is connected to a rock shaft 81 having at one side of the work table an ope'rating'crank 82 by means of which the rock shaft 78 may be moved to place the clutch collar in the 'def sired position, either for feedingl the work table slide in either direction or depriving it of feeding power. A spring pressed latch 83 is provided to 'yieldingly Iengage any one of the three notches in the hub of the `forAth'erevolution of the turret with the shaft 78A ltable the Workman can yto the top of the Work table,

Work tables. To compensate for the cutting away of thespindle housing on the side to- Ward the turret,'the housing Where the bearing is provided for the outer end 'of the spindle is projected, so-as to give the desired overhang of the tool carrying end of the spindle over the Work table, yall as lmay be seen from Figs. l and 2.

' To enable the Work tables to be moved by hand, each feed shaft has one end projected beyond the Work table and provided With an operating handle 88. To automatically stop the feed of each table, the crank arm 79, forming a part of the clutch-operatingl mechanism in each ease, is provided with a laterally project-ing pin 790 in the path of an adjustable dog 791 on the near side of the Work table, which dog by the feed of the table is brought into contact With the pin 7 90 and thereby the clutch 7 7 shifted to neutral position to stop the feed.

It will be seen that by the provision of the multiple tables upon a turret or revolvf ing support, economy of time is secured, since While Work is' being done upon one be setting up Work on another table; by the continued revolutionof the turret it is possible to mill ringform or circular shapes; and as the .Work after being completed is carried by the revolution of the turret avvay from the tool, the danger of scratching and marring the finished Work, as Well as danger ofv harm to the Workman, is avoided, which exists When the Work must` be drawn beneath the "tool after completion. As shown in' Figs. 5 and 6, boring canbe done since the turret can be revolved to place the Work table so that its travel will be in a direction parallel With the longitudinal axis of the spindle, and the boring bar 85 supported by the spindle at one end may be supported at the other end by, a bearing 86 in a bracket 87 clamped the bearing 86 being vertically adjustable in the bracket.

If desired the bearing bracket 87 may be" quickly shifted from one Work table to the other. Again the Work Atables can be set vat any angle desired, since they may be revolved through a full circle and thus, for example, holes in brackets and other articles can be bored at any angle to each other with one setting of the Work, simply by swinging the table to the various angles required,

and instead of feeding the Work feeding the spindle by traversing the spindle-carrying hpusing.

As shown in Fig. 8, my invention may be embodied in a vertical spindle milling machine as Well as in a horizontal spindle` milling machine, the only change required being inregard to the matter of gearing for driving the spindle driving Worm shaft 320 which in the vertical spindle machine occupies a horizontal position. As is shown in Fig. 8, the. clutch for` the belt'pulley 11 'is under the control of a hand lever 88, which is situated convenient to the Workman and which is connected by a rod '89 With the shipper lever 90 of the clutch collar 91.

My multiple table arrangement is also useful in case it is desired to perform a roughing as Well as a finishing cut in the one machine by a single setting of the Work, it bein'g necessary merely to duplicate the cutter'spindles as indicated in Fig. 8 so that there will bea cutter spindle for each work table, the roughing cutl being first made by one spindle and the table then revolved to place it in position for t-he finishing out by the tool of the other spindle.

Having thus'described my invention Wihat 1. In a milling machine, the combination of a tool spindle, multiple Work tables, a common support for the work tables movable With reference to the spindle to place the tables successively in Working relation with the spindle tool and means to reciprocate the tables transversely of the spindle.

2. VIn a milling machine, the combination. of a tool spindle, multiple Work tables, a common support for thevvork tables`rotatable with reference to the spindle to place the tables successively in Working relation with the spindle tool table feeding means,

and a driving shaft `for the latter concentric with the axis of the rotation of the table support.

3. In a milling machine, the combination of a tool spindle, a common movable support for said tables by the movement of which the tables are shifted in succession into Working relation with the tool spindle, and a feed mechanism for each of said Work tables. 4. In a milling machine, the combination of a tool spindle, multiple Work tables, a common support for the Work tables rotatable With reference to the spindle to place the tables successively in Working relation with the spindle tool, and a feed mechanism for each Work table.

5. In a milling machine, the combination of a tool' spindle, a plurality of Work tables, a common movable support for said tables by the movement of which the tables are shifted in succession into Working relation with the tool spindle, a feed mechanism for each of said Work tables, and means to control eachfeed mechanism independently of the other.

6. In a milling machine, the combination of a tool spindle, a turret having a vertical axis, a pair of Work tables slidably mounted parallel With each other onthe turret, and,

a. plurality of Work tables,

parallel With each other on the turret, a Vfeed mechanism for each "Work table, a shaft having an operative connection With said feed mechanisms, means to control each feed mechanism independently of the other, and

the turret revolving mechanism operativelyconnect-ed with said shaft.

8. In a milling machine, the combination of a tool spindle, multiple tables, a common traveling support for said tables, feed mechlanism for each table, a driving shaft, gearingbetween the latter and the spindle, in-

cluding cli-ange gears, and gearing between.

tablewith reference to the spindle to placeV the tables successively in Working relation with the spindley tool, a locking device, a constantly running clutch member, a lever.

and operative connections between the lever and said locking device and said clutch member.

10. `In a milling machine, the combination of a tool spindle,I multiple Work tables, a common support for the Work tables rotatable with' reference to the spindle to place the tables successivelyy in Working relation with the spindle tool, a gear Wheel concentrie'vvith. the axis of rotation of Said Support, a feeddevice for each t-able, geared to saidgear Wheel, a clutch member slidably and rotatably' connected With said gear Wheel, and means to engage said clutch member With said rotatable support.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my ha-nd.

JAMES CHARLES POTTER.

Gopiea o1' this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingl the Commissioner of Patenti,

Washington, D. C. 

